Jump for the Rosehttp://www.jumpfortherose.org
Breast cancer fundraising / skydiving organization benefiting The Rose clinicsSat, 21 Mar 2015 23:34:01 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Jump for the Rose at Skydive Dallashttp://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-dallas/
http://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-dallas/#commentsThu, 15 May 2014 02:02:16 +0000http://www.jumpfortherose.org/?p=680Come jump with us as we join Skydive Dallas for their American Revolution Boogie, starting on Thursday July 3.

]]>http://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-dallas/feed/0Jump for the Rose at Skydive San Marcos!http://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-san-marcos/
http://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-san-marcos/#commentsFri, 09 May 2014 01:08:21 +0000http://www.jumpfortherose.org/?p=676On Saturday, June 7th, we are happy to Join SSM and Rd Latimer as they organize FORMATION loads!!

On Saturday night we are going to boogie on down to tunes from the 70s and 80s to celebrate SSMs 30th Birthday!!

Come join Jump For The Rose and buy a t shirt or make a donation to help save women’s lives!

]]>http://www.jumpfortherose.org/jump-for-the-rose-at-skydive-san-marcos/feed/0A ROSIELICIOUS EVENT – Jump For the Rose – October 11-13, 2013http://www.jumpfortherose.org/2013-october-newsletter/
http://www.jumpfortherose.org/2013-october-newsletter/#commentsTue, 15 Oct 2013 13:59:13 +0000http://www.jumpfortherose.org/?p=581A very special group of ladies at Skydive Spaceland in TX, organized a very pink 3-day skydive and community action event, Jump For the Rose (JFTR).

In its fourth year, the event spearheaded by Marian Sparks – a breast cancer survivor, was designed as a way to give back. In 2009, Marian found herself divorced, without insurance and with breast cancer. By luck she was steered to an organization in Houston, TX, called The Rose. All her medical needs were taken care of with expertise, grace and without any cost. She told her doctor, she would find a way to repay the groups’ kindness. In 2010, she founded the non-profit organization, Jump for the Rose (JFTR). When Marian handed Dr.Dixie Melillo, also the Medical Director and Co-Founder of The Rose, a check after her first skydiving fundraiser, the good doctor was floored. She had never expected Marian to follow through with that promise. “Dr. Dixie,” now makes the annual trek out to Spaceland to participate in the weekends’ activities and talk to the participants.

Because of her tireless activism, Marian’s name was submitted to the Susan G. Komen foundation to be one of their “survivor” representatives. Her beautiful face has now been featured in countless commercials and print ads. She has found her calling!

Each year JFTR has a different theme. This year it was designed as a mini-boogie with a variety of fun dives – head down, sit, belly and wing suit. Diane Chamberlain, Scott Elmer and Chuck Akers organized several high intensity, multiple point 12 to 15-way dives. Michael Swearingen put together cool wingsuit dives. USPA North Central Region Director and National Freestyle Champion, Merriah Eakins flew in to orchestrate freefly dives and as a delegate of the Pink Mafia, she organized a Barbie dive, during which the four Barbies and their jumper/handlers did the “hokey pokey” square dance from 13,000’, (Wardrobe mishaps well documented by aerial cinematographer, Norman Kent.)

Several jumps were also made with teddy bears that would later be donated to children undergoing cancer treatment – a “brave bear” for a brave patient.

A big part of this year’s theme was “inclusivity.” No girl left behind. In one of my favorite jumps of the weekend, we invited novice jumper Nicole, who had only 28 jumps, to join us on a 15-way multiple point dive. Putting her in the base between highly capable formation veterans, she became the central focus of the group. We formed a beautiful formation and everyone got to see her grin from ear to ear. She was still grinning as the weekend wound to a close with some persistent rain showers. It was a thrilling reward for all to help a new jumper achieve a milestone and join the fold!

A women’s Vertical Formation Skydiving 4-way Head-Up state record was set – participants were: Merriah Eakins, Katrina Shows, Nicole Black and Alex Neale. USPA Judges Christy Hitchens and Randy Connell were on hand to certify the new Texas state record.

At the center of the hangar, coordinating and emceeing the event, the core volunteers of JFTR set up a silent auction and raffle – featuring an amazing skydiving t-shirt quilt, skydiving gear, flat-screen TV and about 85 other items. Several vendors of everything from genuine American Indian medicine bags to purses with changeable covers donated proceeds to the JFTR as well. (As of press time over $10,000 had been raised.)

During the afternoon weather holds, two major indoor attractions were held. The multiple award winning film, Pink Skies, was screened followed by Q&A and a breakout session on breast cancer prevention for the participants.

World renown aerial cinematographers, Norman Kent, gave a talk on several of his most noted projects including the recent HTC commercial – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwGGdM3Nj08. He also showed clips of his amazing skydive sequence in the film Get Smart and his awe inspiring aerial work with a falcon.

Norman was also on hand all weekend to cover the aerial action – in an artistic way that belies his perfectionist eye. Head videographer, Matt Sandt, provided additional camera for JFTR. See Norman’s coverage at: www.normankent.com

Locals set up a mobile kitchen and made authentic Cajun Gumbo in a big iron pot. Everyone gifted and contributed their talents, time and energy to make this heartfelt event a big success.

In closing, JFTR founder, Marian Sparks remarked, “I have been a survivor all of my life, but recently, I had found something that truly made me feel alive. I have found my family, a place that I belong and my true love. That is what skydiving is for me. This cancer threat is never going to take that away!”

Four skilled skydiving women set a new Texas State Record head-up skydiving record at Skydive Spaceland last Saturday, Oct. 12, during the Jump for the Rose PinkFest Boogie. The annual charity event has so far this year raised more than $10,000 for The Rose, Houston-area breast cancer clinics that provide screening and treatment for women who can’t afford services along with those who can.

Nicole Black, Merriah Eakins, Alexandra Neale, and Katrina Shows were the ladies who set the new record. “It’s so awesome for someone with 222 jumps to be asked to jump with amazing jumpers like Merriah and Kat and achieve something that two years ago seemed so far out of reach,” said Neale.

“We just wanted to try something new and have fun while supporting the cause,” said Shows. “The first attempt was almost there, but we had some difficulty with fall-rate and transition speeds. Learning how each skydiver transitioned from the first attempt made the second attempt successful.”

The record jump was just one of many fun, rewarding skydives made by participants in the Jump for the Rose fundraiser. The annual breast cancer awareness event at Skydive Spaceland just south of Houston draws skydivers from around the world to raise money for The Rose and have fun trying to set skydiving records. When they weren’t setting records, participating skydivers enjoyed jump planning with top-quality skydiving organizers, wingsuit flights, children’s teddy bear and Barbie doll jumps, and more.

Jump for the Rose’s founder, Marian Sparks, describes her motivation for creating the charity organization after her successful cancer treatment at The Rose: “I wanted to give back to The Rose and the only way that I could think of was through skydiving. It only seems right to combine the two things that I am most blessed to have a part of my life: Skydiving and the medical team at The Rose. ”

This year’s event included participants from 18-75 years of age, hailing from eight states and two countries. In addition to the jumping, the event featured breast cancer prevention education, a popular raffle, a presentation of the skydiving/breast cancer documentary Pink Skies by producer Gulcin Gilbert. Eight cancer survivors attended, and the money raised brought Jump for the Rose’s lifetime donations to The Rose clinics to more than $50,000 (and donations are still coming in).

Jump For The Rose is preparing for another exciting year and we would like to invite all the drop zones, friends, family, sponsors and skydivers in the great state of Texas to join us!

Marian Sparks started Jump for the Rose (JFTR), a nonprofit organization, to combine skydiving and fundraising for breast cancer. Marian is a breast cancer survivor herself and current patient of The Rose. JFTR is off to a great start and has had terrific support from the skydiving community and others! So far, JFTR has achieved two Women’s State skydiving records (2010 & 2011), two National records (2010 & 2011) and raised over $25,500 for The Rose…. not a bad performance record for an organization that’s barely a year old!

“Besides being a fabulous fundraiser, this support means an awful lot of mammograms for an awful lot of women,” said Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and co-founder of The Rose. “I was also amazed at the number of survivors in this group,” she further stated.

The Rose is dedicated to providing screening, diagnostics, treatment, and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay for services.

The new state and national record skydive set this year by JFTR consisted of a 3 point 27-way. It was flown on Sunday, Oct. 9 and was dedicated to Karl Edmunds, who died from breast cancer just one week before the record. The previous year’s record, set by JFTR, was a 2 point 38-way.

“We wanted to dedicate this jump to him because people tend to think of Jump for the Rose as a women’s event, but this cancer can get men too. What better way to memorialize lives lost to breast cancer than to have this awesome living tribute?” stated one participant. Since the skills camps are also open to the guys, many men also supported JFTR’s events as well by participating in the camps, buying merchandise, purchasing raffle tickets for items donated by local businesses and making donations.

[Picture]JFTR NEEDS YOU! Here’s how you can get involved in making this year’s events a HUGE success. Who do you know in corporate America? Know anyone who works for a pharmaceutical company? Know anyone in management at local hospitals or other medical facilities or related businesses? Forward their contact information and help us reach out to communities and companies across the State of Texas! Or, ask them to help YOU by donating $$ for your registration donation.

When we work together, we CAN make dreams come true!

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JFTR is already planning this year’s events including the highly successful summer big-way skills camps leading up to the main event. With state, national and world record competition organizers volunteering their time this year, we are stepping it up a notch by making these camps a warm-up for our main event, billed as the

JFTR Men vs. Women Texas Shoot-Out Challenge

Led by main event lead organizer Diane Chamberlain and organizer Tom Jenkins, these two groups will attempt both Women’s category records and General category records. With proven leaders like this, there is a strong possibility that new formation skydiving records will be set by both groups!

Our first event was a fundraiser held during the Mountain State Boogie & Competition at SkvVenture Colorado on January 20th & 21st, 2012. Thanks to JFTR national record holder & Marketing Director, Shannon McCarthy, there was a special duck drop on Saturday night benefiting our cause. 95 rubber duckies were sold for a donation, thrown into the tunnel & 3 lucky winners split 1 hour of FREE TUNNEL TIME! For more information on booking tunnel time with Skyventure Colorado, contact Shannon @ 303-768-9000 or email @ smccarthy@skyventurecolorado.com

Catching the wave of Spring Break, JFTR’s first Big-way Skills Camp for men and women will be held at Skydive San Marcos on Saturday March 24th. DZ co-owner and JFTR national record holder, Jen Illingworth, states “We look forward to working with you to make JFTR 2012 an even bigger success!”

Following that up on Saturday, May 26th during Memorial Day weekend, Skydive Dallas is hosting our second Big-way Skills Camp for men and women. Per drop zone manager, Johnny Kuczaj, “We are looking forward to it!”

TeXXas 20way/10way Competition and Swoop Pond Lau: On Friday June 8th & Saturday June 9th, ” Get out yer best cowboy booties and polish up those 10-gallon helmets, cuz the legendary TeXXas 20-way/10-way competition rides again!!!” If you think you’re “cowgirl” enough to be on our 20-way all girl team which we are calling the “Rosettes”, you need to contact Marian@JumpForTheRose.org We’re gonna raffle off a chance for a lucky cowboy to enjoy a fun ride to altitude and a jump with 20 hot cowgirls! (More details to come.) http://www.facebook.com/events/193347844099555/

We plan to host a third JFTR Big-Way Skills Camp for men and women at Skydive Space land Saturday August 25th with World Team Captain Tom Jenkins as organizer. Eric Boyd, of Skydive Space land stated, “We look forward to our continuing partnership with Jump For The Rose in making this year’s event even bigger and better for everyone involved!”

The Main event will be held at Skydive Spaceland’s premier skydiving center on September 28th, 29th, & 30th. Men & Women of all skill levels will be given the opportunity to raise money while skydiving for JFTR . With State, National, and World team competitors organizing at the camps and main event, this will be your best opportunity to become a state or national record holder while also being seen by those who may be able to vouch for your bigway skills. The Rose has also set an “inclement weather date” set for the weekend of October 5th, 6th, & 7th

to ensure the continued success of our main fundraising event.

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The big-way skills camps are our opportunity to give both men & women jumpers the chance to learn formation skydiving skills in a no-fault, low pressure learning environment. The positive feedback received last year has made it very clear that these are excellent opportunities for young skydivers to learn, improve, and get personal feedback and training from more experienced jumpers. It is also an opportunity for the guys, regardless of skill level, to get to jump with lots of hot chicks and set their own skydiving records while raising money for others who need it!

Planning these events starts early, so if you or your dropzone is interested in hosting a Jump For The Rose camp or fundraiser in 2012, please contact Leah@JumpForTheRose.org

Two women’s state skydiving records (2010 and 2011) and nearly $25,000 raised for The Rose isn’t a bad performance record for an organization that’s barely a year old. Jump for the Rose is a nonprofit organization that was established to combine skydiving and fundraising for breast cancer by skydiver Marian Sparks, a breast cancer survivor and former patient of The Rose.

“Besides being a fabulous fundraiser, this support means an awful lot of mammograms for an awful lot of women,” said Dorothy Gibbons, CEO and co-founder of The Rose. The organization is dedicated to providing screening, diagnostics, treatment, and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay for services. For example, women with health insurance who undergo mammograms at The Rose enable doctors to provide the same service for another woman who cannot pay. Since early diagnosis and treatment are key to treatment success, insured women who are screened and treated at The Rose are literal lifesavers.

“After The Rose took care of me with no insurance,” said Sparks, “I told the doctor (Dixie Mellilo, co-founder of The Rose) I was going to pay her back by raising money for her. That’s what this is all about. These girls that jump with me are just so grateful and delighted to help.”

“Marian was in a really bad place, affected by breast cancer with no insurance, so she was one of our sponsored women,” recalled Gibbons. “Her generosity and willingness to give back to an organization that helped her at a bad time so someone else could be helped in the future represents what our community is all about. These are tough economic times for a lot of people, but there is so much paying it forward in this community, it’s so awesome! We are so appreciative of her for raising this money and setting that example. She exemplifies where any of us could be and what any of us could do with that gift of generosity and caring.”

The new state record skydive consisted of 27 women performing three separate, intricate formations in a single skydive. The previous record set at last year’s Jump for the Rose event consisted of two formations, called points, flown by 38 women. The new record skydive flown on Sunday, Oct. 9, was dedicated to Karl Edmunds, who died from breast cancer just one week before the record was set.

“We wanted to dedicate this jump to him because people tend to think of Jump for the Rose as a women’s event, but this cancer can get men too,” said Kara Latimer, owner of Rio Vista construction and secretary/treasurer of Jump for the Rose. “What better way to memorialize lives lost to breast cancer than to have this awesome living tribute?” Many men supported the event as well by buying event merchandise, purchasing raffle tickets for items donated by local businesses, flying in their own challenging skydives, and making donations.

All Jump for the Rose events provide a supportive learning environment for the women involved in the jumps, featuring experienced female skydivers with several thousand skydives coaching and mentoring newer skydivers with as few as 208 jumps. This approach built the team that set a new state record even with limited skydives due to the much-needed rain that rolled across the drop zone.

“I was amazed at the number of survivors in this group,” said Gibbons, who made her first skydive shortly after the new record was set. “This disease knows no boundaries of age, race, or economic factors. It’s a disease (primarily) of women and all women have to work together to enjoy the long lives that are possible when the disease is caught early.”